Rose Meteor Shower
by fluffmania207
Summary: Jane is losing control, and a woman who loves him dearly - even from beyond the grave - enlists the help of Lisbon to bring him back from the brink of despair
1. Chapter 1

Rose Meteor Shower

**A/N: I know I should be finishing my other fic, 'Race For Red Trophies', but this idea wouldn't leave my mind, so I decided to toy with it, and see where it went. I hope you enjoy it.**

Chapter one

Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon sat at her desk, filling in paperwork. It was stuffy inside her office, and Lisbon had her door open to try and get some air circulating. The bullpen outside was deserted, everyone else having already left for the evening. Lisbon was quite content to sit in silence and work, but her door had other ideas. Out of the blue, the door abruptly swung closed. The loud bang made Lisbon jump and scratch a pen line up the page. She stood up and walked over to the door. "That's strange," she murmured, realising that there was no cross-breeze to explain her door shutting so abruptly.

She pulled it open, but it was immediately ripped from her grasp and banged shut again. Lisbon backed warily away from the door. "What the hell is going on?" she asked out loud.

She tripped on the edge of the rug on her floor and toppled over backwards. She caught the back of her head on the corner of her desk as she landed, and a word she very seldom said slipped from between her clenched teeth. "Now, now, Teresa," a gentle chiding voice said. "There's no need for language like that."

Lisbon jumped. She was positive she had been alone. "Who's there?" she asked, standing up.

She turned to face her desk, and jumped when she realised she wasn't alone. Her hand flew automatically to her hip. A blonde woman stood behind her desk, her blue eyes pale under the fluorescent light. But Lisbon realised that there was something off about the woman's appearance. Her skin had an almost translucent quality, and seemed to glow. "I'm very glad to finally meet you, Teresa," the woman smiled. "I've been waiting for this moment for a while now."

"Who are you?" asked Lisbon, rubbing the back of her head gingerly.

"You mean you've never seen pictures of me?" the woman sounded incredulous. "Although, I can't expect Patrick to…"

Lisbon frowned at the woman's casual use of her consultant's first name. "You know Jane?" she asked.

The woman rolled her eyes. "I still can't believe you haven't worked it out yet," she extended her hand across the desk. "I'm Angela."

Lisbon felt herself go pale. "A-Angela?" she stammered. "As in, Angela Jane? What are you doing here?"

Angela nodded. "I've actually been here pretty much since Patrick started working here."

Lisbon looked down at the pro-offered hand, and slowly extended her own. They shook hands across the desk, and Lisbon frowned slightly. "How did I just touch you?"

Angela smiled. "I can become solid, for limited periods of time. Other than that, I pass through pretty much anything."

Lisbon smiled a little, and gestured to her couch. "You want to sit?"

Angela nodded, a small smile on her beautiful face. The two ladies – one living, the other spirit – sat together on the couch. "So," said Lisbon. "If you've been here for the entire time, why choose now to reveal yourself to me?"

Angela's angelic features darkened ever so slightly, and she smoothed down the white dress she wore. "Patrick is slipping into depression again. I need your help to rescue him."

Lisbon blinked. "What could I do?" she asked.

"He trusts you, Teresa," came the reply. "And I know that you care deeply for him."

Lisbon blushed. "I'm sorry, Angela," she said. "But I just can't get my head around the fact that I'm speaking to a woman who's been dead for almost ten years."

Angela smiled gently. "I had to come to you, Teresa. My husband, he's drinking heavily again, and has been considering giving up the search for Red John for good."

Lisbon's breath caught in her throat. Jane had been coming to work recently looking gaunt and drawn. Sure, he kept his game face on, but Lisbon could see the despair in his eyes. Even he couldn't hide it. "Why can't you reveal yourself to him?" she asked curiously.

Angela sighed and looked down. "I've tried, but he doesn't believe I exist – in this form anyway – and so he can't see me. I'm just a gentle strain of music, a whispering breeze, sometimes a ringing telephone. He can't hear me, even if he wanted to." Lisbon's face softened, and she reached out tentatively to pat the woman's shoulder. Her hand passed right through Angela's dress, and Lisbon gasped. She pulled her hand away. "I might not have felt that," whispered Angela, looking down in despair. "But I know the sentiment was well intended. We need to do something, Teresa, before he gives up."

Lisbon set her jaw and nodded. She would help this woman – even if she wasn't alive – in any way she could. "I will help you save Jane, Angela," promised Lisbon.

Angela smiled blindingly in a way that was startlingly similar to the way Jane smiled. Lisbon suddenly frowned and looked around. "Where's Charlotte?" she asked curiously.

Angela smiled almost sheepishly. "She's actually at your house. She finds the atmosphere comforting. And she likes you."

Lisbon smiled. Jane's daughter was at her house; that was a thought she had never imagined entertaining. "Where will you be tonight?" she asked, looking at the ghostly figure next to her.

Angela looked around. "Patrick's in the attic. I thought I would go up and sit with him. He doesn't know I'm there, but it's nice to spend time with him anyway."

Lisbon felt tears pricking her eyes. She felt immensely sad for this woman, knowing that she could see her husband, but that her husband couldn't see her. Lisbon stood up. "I'll get going," she said. "I need time to come up with something. But, Angela, I promise that I will help you save your husband from himself. I promise."

Angela rose to her feet. "I know you will, Teresa. That's why I came to you."

Lisbon blinked twice, and the apparition before her disappeared. She didn't think for a moment that she had been hallucinating, because a final whisper marked Angela's departure. "Thank you, Teresa," the voice faded away.

Lisbon quickly picked up her belongings and left the CBI building, eager to get home.

XxxxxxxxxxxX

Back inside, Angela sat on the edge of Jane's poor excuse for a bed and watched him pace the room. He held a half-jack of whiskey in one hand and a file in the other. His mindless ramblings were becoming more and more slurred with every swig he took of the bottle, and Angela felt her sadness grow. Her husband should not be like this. This heavy drinking madman was not the man she had fallen in love with twenty years before. This man was crazy with revenge, and it hurt Angela deeply to see him this way. She stood up and attempted to take the bottle from him, like she would have done in the past, but she couldn't break his grip. "Patrick," she said.

He didn't turn.

"Patrick," she said again, a little louder.

He paused, but shook his head and kept mindlessly pacing.

"PATRICK!" she screamed.

Jane stopped and swung around to face her. He squinted in her direction and took a step closer. "I swear I just heard Angela's voice," he murmured.

"You did, honey," she said.

He squinted harder. "Angela?" he said, looking around the room in a frenzy.

"Patrick, darling, I'm here," she stepped up to him and cradled his drawn face in her hands. "I'm here and I love you."

Jane blinked and his eyes focussed on her face for the first time in ten years. "Angela," he murmured.

Angela stepped back. She could use the alcohol in his system to her advantage, she realised, as he could actually see her at the moment. The whiskey had dropped his guard. "Patrick, you can't give up your search for Red John. You need to avenge our deaths so that we can rest in peace. Charlie and I won't rest until Red John is dead."

Jane nodded. "I love you, Angie," he whispered, despair evident in his voice. "But I'm hitting walls. I can't get through, can't find him. He's…" his voice faltered. "He's too good for me."

"No," said Angela in a tone Jane recognised as finality. "Patrick Jane, you will catch this man and kill him. Do it for me, for Charlie, for Teresa."

Jane started at the last name. "Teresa?" he asked weakly. His hallucination certainly knew which strings to pull.

Angela nodded. "Yes, Patrick. I want you to find this man and kill him. You know she will be the next target if you don't."

Jane nodded, and dropped the whiskey. It clattered onto the floor and poured out through the open top, soaking the floorboards. "I will catch him. He's not too smart for me."

Angela smiled. "That's the Patrick I fell in love with."

She wrapped her arms around him for one fleeting moment, and stepped back. He resumed his pacing, but with renewed purpose. Angela spent the remainder of the night just watching him as he worked.

XxxxxxxxxxxX

Lisbon strode into the bullpen the next morning and looked around. She saw Jane lying on his brown leather couch, but he wasn't alone. The pale figure of Angela was sitting on the arm of the sofa behind his head, idly running her fingers through his hair. Lisbon suspected that this was something they used to do before she was killed. Lisbon walked past the couch and smiled at Angela as she passed. Angela stood up and followed her to her office. "Good morning, Teresa," she said, following Lisbon inside.

Lisbon walked to her desk and picked up her phone. "Good morning," she said into the receiver.

Angela nodded, understanding. "You don't want him to think you're going crazy."

"Yes," replied Lisbon. "But I still haven't come up with a plan."

"Not to worry," said Angela. Her eyes shone, and Lisbon raised an eyebrow. "I managed to get through to him last night. Oh, he thinks I was a hallucination, but I managed to convince him to continue the search for Red John. He's not completely out yet, but this is a start."

"That's wonderful," replied Lisbon. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

Angela nodded. "Help my husband kill him." her expression turned pleading. "Please."

"I will," replied Lisbon, hanging up the phone.

Angela smiled and walked back through to the couch where Jane lay. She resumed her loving stroking of his hair, and Lisbon felt her heart break for the woman. She watched them a moment longer before turning to her paperwork.

**A/N2: So, I hope you are enjoying this so far. Please leave a review and tell me how I'm doing, and what you think of the story. Thanks.**


	2. Chapter 2

Rose Meteor Shower

**A/N: Thank you for your amazing response to my last chapter. It was so wonderful to see that you are enjoying this story. Now, on with the next chapter.**

Chapter two

Two days passed, and Angela spent nearly every moment with her husband. Lisbon watched from her office as the ghostly woman sat on the edge of Jane's couch, staring lovingly down at him. Lisbon worked out fairly quickly that she was the only member of her team – the only person in the building, really – who could see the woman, judging by the fact that no-one reacted when they arrived for work that morning. Charlotte had accompanied Lisbon to work that morning, and she sat on the edge of Van Pelt's desk, watching the red haired woman work with pure fascination in her eyes.

Lisbon thought back to her meeting with Charlotte. The vibrant blonde ghost had ambushed Lisbon as she walked into her apartment. The little girl was no older than ten, with curly blonde hair and eyes that – had she still been alive – would have matched Jane's eyes exactly. She was very like her father, Lisbon realised, and Lisbon found herself loving the little girl. Charlotte's personality was similar to Jane's, and soon havoc had ensued in Lisbon's apartment. Lisbon found herself laughing with the young girl until the early hours of the next morning.

Charlotte had taken an instant liking to Van Pelt – Angela thought that maybe it was Van Pelt's kind, easy-going nature that drew Charlotte – and spent her time following the woman around. It didn't take Charlotte very long to notice the loving glances exchanged between Rigsby and Van Pelt. Charlotte found the idea of matchmaking quite enticing, and soon she was trying to get the two of them together at every opportunity. Lisbon almost laughed as Charlotte pointedly pushed a pen off of the desk as Rigsby walked past. He bent down to pick it up at the same time Van Pelt did, and they banged heads. Lisbon looked at the tiny ghost, who looked back at her and shrugged, before bursting into fits of giggles.

Angela wandered into Lisbon's office, closing the door quietly behind her. "She's very like her father," commented Lisbon, not looking away.

Angela smiled. "She believes in true love. It's something she has clung to over the years."

Lisbon glanced at Jane. "How's he holding up?"

Angela nodded. "He hasn't touched the bottle for two days, but his resolve is faltering. He can't seem to shake the fact that he's failing us."

Lisbon's face turned grim. She knew something had to be done, soon.

XxxxxxxxxxxX

Jane lay on his couch with his eyes closed. He was thinking about his hallucination the last time he had been drinking. His wife had told him to continue the search; that he couldn't give up. That Lisbon would be the next target if he didn't catch Red John soon. That thought worried him. His search for Red John couldn't end, because that would mean that Jane would have to admit defeat, and defeat was one thing he would never admit to. At least, that was what he was trying to convince himself of. Truth be told, he wasn't sure that it was defeat that kept him going, but the possibility of Lisbon being next.

XxxxxxxxxxxX

Two weeks passed, and Jane was slowly returning to normal. That all ended when Lisbon got a phone call she had been dreading. She strode from her office. "Team," she said grimly, looking between the four faces – six if you counted Angela and Charlotte – staring at her. "We caught another case. It's another Red John killing."

Angela looked at Jane with a panicked expression, and saw the glassy pain in his eyes at the mention of Red John. She longed to tell him it would be okay, but she knew he couldn't hear her. The team automatically headed for the elevator, but Lisbon went back into her office for her gun and badge. Angela followed. "I want to come with," she said.

"Me too," piped up Charlotte from the door.

Angela turned to her. "No, honey. You must stay here and look after Grace's desk for her."

The little girl's eyes brightened at the mention of Van Pelt, and she happily ran off. Lisbon looked at Angela. "Let's go."

The scene was every bit as gruesome as everybody had expected. Jane wandered aimlessly around, trying not to look at the body. Angela followed him, her hand resting comfortingly on his shoulder. Lisbon looked at the team. "Anything?"

Everyone shook their heads. "Same as always, Boss," said Cho, not looking at Jane. No-one wanted to see the barely disguised look of pain on Jane's face. They all knew what these cases did to him.

Angela glanced at Lisbon, who shook her head slightly. They both knew that Jane was on the brink again. Lisbon tilted her head, indicating the ghostly woman follow her outside. Once there, they wandered around the spacious garden. "What do I do?" asked Angela helplessly. "He's slipping again, Teresa, and I can't stop him."

Lisbon looked around, making sure they were alone. "Would you recognise Red John if you saw him?"

Angela shook her head. "You've seen the photos. Those cuts to my face were some of the first, and I didn't get a good enough look at his face to recognise him if I saw him. Charlie, however…" the ghost shuddered. "Charlotte's pain was excruciating. I was still alive, and I could hear her screaming and crying out for her father to save her. She told me, once we were in, well, you could call it 'limbo', that she saw his face, and would recognise him if she saw him again. That was why I told her to stay behind today. She didn't need to see this, to relive it like her parents do. It's enough that Patrick goes through this. She should never see this kind of thing, not after having experienced it firsthand. It would make her…" Angela's voice trailed off.

Lisbon shuddered and turned away. She knew what Angela had experienced; the pain of a loved one, the pain you couldn't prevent. The team were wrapping things up, and she strode back over to them. Angela followed, and soon the team was on their way back to the CBI building. Jane sat very quietly, thinking deeply, and Angela laid a hand gently on his shoulder.

Back at the CBI, the team all returned to their desks, and Lisbon almost smiled at the way Charlotte's face lit up when Van Pelt entered the room. Angela followed Jane to his couch, and began to hum a lullaby as Jane settled. She ran her fingers through his hair and crooned his name lovingly. Lisbon and the team worked for the better part of two hours in comfortable silence, when a blood-curdling, high pitched scream broke the air.

To everyone else, a far off telephone had begun to ring, and only two people reacted to the piercing scream. Angela looked up at Lisbon, who had hastily pushed herself to her feet. Charlotte came tearing through the bullpen, bumping into a vase of flowers balanced delicately on the edge of Van Pelt's desk as she ran. The vase toppled and hit the floor with a smash, and everyone visibly jumped at the sound. Van Pelt frowned and got up to clean the smashed glass. Angela rushed forwards and grabbed her terrified daughter. "Charlie," she crooned. "Charlie, what's wrong? Tell mommy what's wrong."

Lisbon felt herself go pale at Charlotte's reply. "He's here, mommy," the little girl said, her voice shaking. "That man, Red John, he's here."

Lisbon looked at Angela, who dragged her daughter to the elevator. Lisbon followed close behind. Once inside the empty elevator, Lisbon bent down to Charlotte's level. "Tell me what you saw."

Charlotte related how she was on her way to find another flower for Van Pelt, when she saw a man in the lobby. She recognised him and ran up the stairs. That was when she appeared in the bullpen, screaming. The elevator – which had been called down to the lobby – came to a stop. The doors opened, and Charlotte made a sound that made Lisbon's blood run cold. The worst part was that Lisbon knew the man stepping into the elevator next to her. Apparently, so did Charlotte.

**A/N2: Please leave me a review and tell me what you think. I would like to hear what you guys have to say about my efforts at portraying Charlotte and Angela, and if you think they were accurate. Thanks.**


	3. Chapter 3

Rose Meteor Shower

Chapter three

Lisbon glanced nervously at Angela as Bob Kirkland from Homeland Security stepped into the elevator beside her. Charlotte clung to Angela's dress and shut her eyes tightly. Angela rubbed her back gently and looked at Lisbon in horror. Lisbon tried to keep her composure as Kirkland turned to her. "Good afternoon, Agent Lisbon," he said with a smile.

Surprisingly, Lisbon managed a calm reply. "Good afternoon, Bob. What brings you to the CBI building?"

Kirkland glanced nonchalantly at the stack of folders he was holding. "I have to drop a few things off with your boss. Just a pile of paperwork."

Lisbon nodded as the elevator doors opened. She walked swiftly towards her office, Angela dragging Charlotte behind her. Lisbon watched from her door as Kirkland walked past Jane's couch. The grin on his face widened, and Lisbon's blood ran cold. Angela watched the expression change, and glared at him, fuming. The sudden mood change affected the air in the bullpen, and a blind in Lisbon's office began to flap in an unknown breeze. Lisbon shut her door. "Kirkland," she said, rubbing her temples. "He's Red John."

Angela looked through the window at Jane, who hadn't moved. "We need to arrest him. He can't go free."

Lisbon turned to her. "On what grounds? I can't tell him that we suspect who he is on the testament of a ghost. The jury would laugh at us."

Angela looked at Charlotte, who was standing staring stony faced at Kirkland. "Get the proof you need. Find a way to make a conviction stick."

Lisbon nodded and picked up her keys. "Charlotte," she said, turning to the young girl. "I want you to stay here and look after Grace for me. See if you can get Wayne to talk to her. Mommy and I are going out for a bit."

Charlotte nodded and followed the two women through the door. She wandered across to Van Pelt's desk and began shuffling the papers around. Lisbon stopped next to Cho's desk. "I'm going out quickly. I'll be back in about two hours."

Cho nodded and looked up at her. He noted with some trepidation that her eyes were cold, and she clutched her badge too tightly. "See you, Boss," he said, turning back to his paperwork.

Angela and Lisbon hurried from the room, eager to catch Kirkland before he left.

XxxxxxxxxxxX

Lisbon sat in her car across the street from Kirkland's office block. Angela sat next to her, wringing her hands. They had been sitting there for the better part of two hours already, and nothing had happened yet. Soon, Kirkland walked through the front doors and climbed into his car. Lisbon followed him into the centre of town, being sure to keep her distance. He pulled up outside an old warehouse and entered through a side door. Lisbon checked her gun and stepped from her car into the twilight air. Angela appeared beside her and glanced around nervously. Lisbon snuck up to the door and peered in. Kirkland turned on a light at the far end of the large room, and Lisbon stifled a gasp. A large section of wall was illuminated, and it was covered with pictures. Pictures of victims, pictures of her and her team, pictures of a blood soaked Angela, pictures of Charlotte before she died, and more recent pictures of Jane. Across one corner, a smiley face was drawn in age darkened blood. Angela peered around the doorjamb and gasped. Lisbon glanced behind her and decided that it would take too long to call for backup. "I'm going in," she murmured.

Angela followed as Lisbon entered, gun drawn.

Kirkland grinned and turned slowly as Lisbon entered. "Ah, Teresa," he said with a wide grin. "I see you have discovered my masterpiece."

Lisbon levelled her gun at his chest. "Red John," she said, gritting her teeth.

Kirkland laughed. "It's a wonder you took so long to figure it out. I thought your team were better investigators, but I guess I give you too much credit."

He flipped the switch next to him, plunging the room into blackness. Angela watched in horror – the dim room did not affect her vision – as Kirkland descended on Lisbon and wrenched the gun from her hand. He grabbed her around the waist and pressed a knife to her neck. Lisbon froze, and Kirkland dragged her towards the back corner of the room.

XxxxxxxxxxxX

Lisbon struggled against the ropes that held her to the chair. Angela hovered protectively behind her. Kirkland paced slowly in front of the chair, fiddling with the knife he held. He laughed, and the two women cringed. "Well, Teresa," he said. "Isn't this a pleasant surprise? Patrick is certainly going to be devastated when he learns who my next victim is. Why don't we leave him a little reminder?"

Lisbon set her face into a mask of indifference as Kirkland walked over to a tripod mounted camera and pressed record. He directed the camera at the bound Lisbon and advanced towards her. Angela knew she had to do something. An idea occurred to her, and she reached into Lisbon's pocket. She pulled out the cell phone and pressed speed dial one. "Please pick up, Patrick," she murmured.

Lisbon's eyes widened as Kirkland slid his knife down the front of her dress shirt, removing the buttons one at a time. She refused to react as the last of the buttons fell away. Kirkland grinned and began to play with his knife again. "I always knew you would be a tough one, Teresa. That just makes the game all the more entertaining."

Angela glanced down at the phone, noting with some relief when the call connected. She stepped forward and held the phone towards Kirkland's face so that Jane would hear every word. Kirkland laughed, looking down at the stone-faced Lisbon. "The game is almost over, Teresa. Patrick will have to admit that I have won. After all, how can he pull himself back after this? It would kill him to lose you."

XxxxxxxxxxxX

Jane jerked to his feet. Van Pelt was just getting ready to leave, when he raced through into the bullpen. "Grace," he yelled. "Track Lisbon's cell phone, NOW!"

Van Pelt sat down again. "Why?"

Jane held the phone he clutched to her ear, and she gasped. She could hear a man rambling on about the way in which Jane would receive a video message about Lisbon's death. Van Pelt's fingers flew over the keyboard, and Jane stared anxiously over her shoulder. Her location was right across town, and Jane feared that he wouldn't have enough time to save her.

XxxxxxxxxxxX

Angela dropped the phone to the floor and began searching for a way to stall for time. She pushed the tripod over, and the camera clattered to the floor. Kirkland scowled and picked it back up again. Angela felt herself grinning sardonically as she began pulling the pictures off of the wall and dropping them to the floor. Lisbon could see what she was doing, but Kirkland could only see the effects. He watched the chaos unfolding with amazement in his eyes. Angela then began throwing the pictures at Kirkland, and he watched as his collage of torture began to vanish from the wall.

She felt her anger rise with every picture she threw, and a wind began to whip through the warehouse. Angela's emotions always affected the surrounding atmosphere, and she directed her anger towards Kirkland. Dust that had been gathering over the years was stirred up, along with the scattered photos, and Kirkland shut his eyes against the onslaught. Lisbon's hair whipped about her face, obscuring her vision. Angela stood in the midst of the whirlwind, her anger continuing to wreak havoc. The wind eventually began to die down, and Lisbon smiled with some satisfaction as Kirkland looked thoroughly confused. Her smile was short-lived, however, as he began to advance upon her, his face a mask of smug satisfaction. "I don't know what just happened there," he said. 'But that doesn't change the fact that you are going to die, slowly and painfully. Patrick will know that I have won, because I will take away the only thing that means anything in his life."

He lowered his knife and made a small cut along her exposed stomach. She gasped as the blood began to trickle down her alabaster skin. Kirkland smiled at the blood, and gestured to what was left of his collage. The brown smiley face was just behind Lisbon's head. "Patrick," he said. "That smiley means a lot to me. It was made shortly after my visit to your house."

Lisbon gasped and looked across at Angela. "Charlotte," she breathed.

Kirkland nodded with a cold gleam in his eye. "The little girl. I used the mother's blood on the bedroom wall, and the girl's blood here. Nice touch. Don't you think, Teresa?"

"Drop the knife," a male voice called from the door. Kirkland spun around to see Jane standing, unarmed, in the doorway.

**A/N: Please leave me a review and tell me what you think. I would like your opinion on my choice for Red John, and whether you liked this chapter. Thanks.**


	4. Chapter 4

Rose Meteor Shower

Chapter four

Kirkland turned and grinned, not dropping the knife. "Patrick, how nice of you to drop by."

Jane stood still, observing the scene. Angela watched as Kirkland stepped towards Lisbon, his knife pointed at her exposed neck. Jane tensed, and fixed his gaze on Kirkland's eyes. Kirkland hadn't looked away from Jane's tense face. Jane tried his best to remain calm. "Red John."

Kirkland grinned. "Who else would hold the lovely Teresa Lisbon captive?"

Jane's eyes focussed on the thin trickle of blood oozing down Lisbon's stomach. His face turned pale, and his hands shook. Angela spotted Lisbon's gun in the corner where Kirkland had inadvertently kicked it when he had attacked her. Angela picked it up and walked over to where Jane stood. She dropped the gun at his feet. Kirkland turned back to Lisbon, who still refused to react to his intimidation. He lowered the knife and made a second cut up the length of her forearm. The cut wasn't too deep, but more blood oozed from the wound. Jane glanced away and spotted the gun at his feet. He bent down and retrieved it, grasping the cold steel in his clammy hand. Kirkland turned back to Jane and spotted the gun. "Drop the knife, Red John," spat Jane, pointing the gun at his chest.

Kirkland laughed and lunged towards Lisbon. Angela grabbed his arm, jerking it to the side. The knife glanced to the side of Lisbon's neck and took a gouge out of the wooden chair. Jane pulled the trigger once, and Kirkland dropped to the floor, clutching his shoulder. Jane bolted to Lisbon's side and tried to stem the flow of blood from her arm. He hadn't dropped the gun. "Jane," she yelled, looking past him in horror.

Jane swung around in time to see Kirkland stagger to his feet and lurch forwards, brandishing the knife wildly. Jane raised the gun and pulled the trigger again. Kirkland dropped to the floor, blood oozing from the hole in his chest. His breath was raspy and laboured, but Jane paid him no mind. Van Pelt appeared at the door, and pulled out her cell phone. She dialled 911, and ordered an ambulance to their location.

Jane grasped the knife Kirkland had dropped and cut the ropes that bound Lisbon to the chair. She glanced across at Angela, and smiled weakly in relief. Jane pulled off his jacket and vest, removing his shirt in order to stem the flow of blood from the cut on Lisbon's arm. Ambulance sirens wailed in the distance.

XxxxxxxxxxxX

Lisbon was discharged from the hospital – twenty stitches in her arm later – and got a lift back to the CBI building with Van Pelt. Angela had opted to go with Jane back to the CBI building to wait for Lisbon to return. Lisbon now sat at her desk, her head down on the surface as she attempted to process what had just happened. She had ensured that the charges against Jane for shooting Kirkland would be dropped, citing self-defence as the cause of the shooting. Her desk phone rang, and she jumped. Jane appeared in the doorway, Angela and Charlotte not far behind him. Lisbon picked up the phone and was told by the woman on the other end that Kirkland had died while in surgery. She put the phone down and turned to Jane. "You did it," she said. "That was the hospital. Red John is gone."

Jane slumped against the doorway, his exhaustion showing for the first time in ten years. "That's wonderful," he murmured. Angela placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Jane turned away. "Would you like some coffee?" he asked.

Lisbon nodded, and Jane disappeared through to the break room. Angela stepped into the room and walked over to Lisbon's desk. "Thank you, Teresa," she said, her voice breaking.

Lisbon stood up and smiled. "It was a pleasure working with you, Angela." She glanced down at Charlotte. "And you too, Charlie."

Charlotte beamed, and Angela reached across the table. She was holding something in her hand, and Lisbon took it with surprise. It was an engagement ring, a thin gold band with a large diamond set into a delicate pattern. Angela smiled as Lisbon held it out to the light. "It was mine. I found it in Patrick's motel room, and thought that it would make a perfect gift for you. From us."

"It's beautiful," murmured Lisbon, turning it under the lamp. "Thank you, Angela."

Jane appeared in the doorway, and froze. His eyes were on the ring Lisbon held, and he placed the two cups onto the floor. "Where did…" his words caught in his throat as he dropped to his knees.

Charlotte ran to his side, and he looked up into her face. "Am I dreaming?" he asked, confused.

Lisbon shook her head. "You can see her, can't you?"

Jane nodded, and slowly reached out his hand. Charlotte stepped up to him and threw her arms around his neck. "Daddy," she said, gripping onto him. "Daddy, I love you. Thank you, Daddy."

Jane glanced up and spotted Angela. His jaw dropped, and she smiled. "Angie?"

Lisbon nodded, and Angela walked over to him. She reached down and held out her hand. Jane was still clutching the little ghost of his daughter in his arms when he took the hand and stood up. "Patrick, I love you, but now it's time to move on."

Jane nodded and held his wife close. "I miss you, Angie," he murmured. "Every day, I miss you."

Angela smiled. "We need to go now. Red John is dead. You caught him, now it's time for us to go."

Jane nodded and put his daughter onto the ground. He stretched over and pressed his lips to Angela's cheek. Angela took Charlotte's hand, and the two of them turned back to Lisbon. "Thank you, Tessie," said Charlotte with a giggle.

Angela smiled. "Thank you, Teresa."

Lisbon smiled as they walked through her office door and faded into nothing. Jane turned back to Lisbon, and she could see the tears streaming down his face. She rounded her desk and strode over to him. She wrapped her arms around him as he began to sob into her shoulder. She whispered small comforts into his ear as he gripped onto her shirt, soaking her shoulder through to the skin with his tears. As his breathing returned to normal, Lisbon glanced over his shoulder into the bullpen and smiled. Angela stood in the middle of the bullpen, smiling at them. She smiled and winked at Lisbon before fading slowly away. Jane cocked his head. "Do you hear music?" he asked, frowning slightly.

Lisbon nodded, and stood in Jane's tight embrace, listening to the words of the last song Angela left for them. She recognised it as 'Meteor Shower' by a band she couldn't remember the name of.

I can finally see,  
That you're right there beside me.

I am not my own,  
For I have been made new.  
Please don't let me go,  
I desperately need you.

I am not my own,  
For I have been made new.  
Please don't let me go,  
I desperately need you.

Lisbon felt Jane grip tightly onto her as the song finished. She stretched up and pressed a gentle kiss to his jaw. Jane knew that Angela wanted him to move on – he had been grateful that he could finally say goodbye to his family – and he could think of no-one better to move on with than the tiny woman he held close to his chest. He bent down and pressed his lips to hers, finally free from Red John. Free to love and be loved. Free to love Teresa Lisbon.

**A/N: This is the last chapter of this story. The song was sung by Owl City. I suggest you find it and listen to it, because it really is a beautiful song. Thank you to all of you who have been following this story. I hope you enjoyed it. Please review and tell me what you think, and whether it was worth reading. Until next time,  
S.**


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